Freak City Page 15

  Chapter Fifteen

  Argus didn't get his wish until much later. In the meantime, Jolene found out about the secret decoding and had to be filled in on the day's adventure as well, and Maribel wandered up from the kitchen, not wanting to be left out, and even Todd emerged from hiding as well when he figured out it was safe. Jolene was ecstatic that everything was figured out, and decided that on Tuesday night they'd have a big birthday party for Argus and then everyone would venture out together on an expedition to the chosen site at the chosen time.

  Argus didn't want a party, or any more adventures, really, but what could he say? Everyone else wanted to have a good time, so why should he be a spoilsport? He'd just go along if it made them all happy. All six were crowded into Argus' room and it was just too much for him, so he was the one who had to leave. During a moment when they were all jabbering at once, he made his way out the door and out of the house entirely. By the time he'd walked around the block a few times he could see that they'd finally vacated his room and he snuck back in, and didn't come out again that night.

  Very early the next morning he left again and spent the entire day Sunday alone in the big park down the street, with some stale rolls, out of season oranges and the next Inspector Mole mystery. He wasn't quite sure why he read those books. The Inspector never seemed able to crack any case, yet somehow everything always worked out. Argus himself never bothered trying to figure out who did what or why. For one thing, he didn't care, and for another, the books were never written like that. They were genuine mystery novels, where the mystery often remained mysterious, unlike most books of that type, which should really be called "solution" novels, because there is rarely any mystery left by the end. Still, Argus absorbed the books and was determined to complete the entire series. It felt good to have the day to himself and by late afternoon almost felt like his regular self again. He was even almost looking forward to going back to work the next day, just to get back to routine.

  "It is natural feeling,” Mikael said to him, when he explained that very thought the next day. "People being animal creatures of this particular planet."

  They were surrounded by a mountain of incoming boxes, typical for a Monday morning, when the supplies replenishing the weekend sales poured in from delivery trucks from as early as four in the morning. Chattering made the work go faster, and Mikael was very good at doing the former, while Argus specialized in the other.

  "This particular planet,” Mikael continued to say, "is a rhythmic and cyclical planet. It rotates, and it revolves. It has one sun. It has one moon. It has the day and it has the night. Much of the planet has seasons too. The animal creatures that live on this planet have cycles as well. They sleep and they wake. They hunt and they eat. They have young and grow old. They live and they die."

  "Isn't it probably like that on every planet with life?" Argus wanted to know, and Mikael merely shrugged and went on.

  "Who can say? Who can know? We just know how it is on this one. Other planet may have two suns. There are systems like that. And many have several moons. Who can say what it means? Creatures on planets like that may turn red, may turn blue, may not sleep, merely change. But on this one the creatures have cycles. Air goes in, air goes out. Blood is pumped, blood returns. If the things that you do fit into a rhythm, then you feel good, it is right. It is why there is music. Why there is chanting. Meditation. Repetition. Hypnosis. All good if it makes you feel good."

  "Religion,” Argus added thoughtfully.

  "The good part of that, yes for sure,” Mikael said. "Not the politics part, the power trip part. The organized parts are of ritual, routine. Get you into the rhythm. All good."

  "All good?" a voice came through from the swinging shop doors. It was Jolene, who had come down to pick up supplies for the party, and also to ask something of Argus.

  "Hi,” Argus said when he saw her, and Mikael said,

  "Pretty lady, hello!"

  Jolene smiled and walked into the storeroom.

  "Jolene,” she said, holding out her hand and taking Mikael's said, "you must be Mikael."

  "I was thinking you must be Jolene,” he replied, taking her hand gently and shaking it. "I have heard about you. But how have you heard about me?"

  "We both solved the 600 day puzzle,” she said, and he smiled.

  "I forgot. Argus told me. I thought I was first."

  "Maybe you were,” she replied, and turned to Argus and said,

  "I wanted to ask if there was anyone else that you want to invite to the party. Maybe your brother?"

  "Well,” Argus said,

  "I'm sure he is busy. I don't know. Mikael, if he wants to, I guess.” How could he not say Mikael, he said to himself, when the guy was just standing there, acting all nice?

  "What is this party?" Mikael wanted to know.

  "For his birthday,” Jolene explained. "Tomorrow night. Can you come?"

  "Is it tomorrow already? I forgot. The big day. The day that the sequence will end."

  "Yes, and the final hour of the final day,” Jolene said. "The last house at the last stop." Mikael studied her face to try and see if that was a joke. Jolene, seeing his confusion, explained about the secret decoded message. Argus hadn't bothered to tell him.

  "Now I'm sure I will come,” he announced. "I wonder, what could it be?"

  "Is there anyone else?,” Jolene asked Argus, and he shook his head 'no'.

  "What about Madam Sylvia?" Mikael said, laughing. "After all, she has been part of the mystery too. She saw all the items and who knows, she could help."

  "Oh come on,” Argus said, getting annoyed.

  "It was only a joke,” Mikael said.

  After an awkward few moments when no one had anything further to say, Jolene handed Mikael a nicely handwritten invitation to the party, with directions to their house, and the time. Jolene always did such things nicely. After saying goodbye, she went back to her shopping, and purchased everything that she needed. While she was carrying the bags to Seth's car, she happened to look up and notice Madam Sylvia's storefront on the other side of the street.

  "Well, why not?" she said to herself.

  She was hoping that Argus would have a few people he wanted to come. As it was, it was only the household, and now also Mikael. She put the stuff away in the trunk and went over to see Madam Sylvia. Sylvia was not surprised to see her. She was never surprised to see anyone. She figured it was another young lady who wanted to know if she would get married, have children and when. The first thing she said, though, was

  "I can see you will be successful in business.”

  "I know that,” Jolene answered right back.

  "Oh?" Sylvia wondered, "how do you know?"

  "Well, I'm good at what I do and I work very hard, and I never give up. That's how I know,” Jolene told her. "But I didn't come see you for that,” and she explained about Argus' party and for once Sylvia was completely off guard. The last thing she expected was a stranger to walk in and invite her to somebody's party.

  "Thank you, that will be nice,” she replied, as Jolene handed her one of her custom invites, and just as suddenly as she'd decided to come and had come, Jolene decided to go and was gone, not having told Sylvia anything, really. The fortune teller watched her depart, examined the note in her hand, realized it was slightly scented and sniffed it, said "nice,” and went back inside.